Boat.



J. M. GARDNER.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. M. GARDNER.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED APRVIO, 1913. 1 1 1 7 361 Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

b w l f Q i a "i ,1 E a I I g 3 E I:

WITNESSES l/VVENTOR I Unruly JEFFERSON M: GARDNER, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed April 10, 1913. Serial N0. 760,190.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEFFERSON M. GARD- NER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New' Lo'ndon, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boats, and it relates particularly to that class of boats wherein buoyant propellers are employed.

The object of.the invention is to provide a boat of the character referred to wherein the entire structure shall be supported upon revoluble buoyant propellers, which propellers shall be provided with propelling blades and which shall have sulficient displacement to maintain them with the superimposed weight of the carrying frame driving means, etc., with at least one half of their area above the surface of the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat of the kind referred to embodying buoyant propellers having thereon propelling blades so formed as to exercise at raising action when the propellers are rotated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat having the characteristics above referred to and comprising an adjustable aeroplane capable of being brought into action when the propellers are rotated at a low rate of speed, and of being moved into a neutral position when the propellers are rotated at a high speed.

\Vith these objects in view the invention consists of a boat having the generic and specific features of construction and arrangement of the parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the boat, the means for controlling the motive power, the steering mechanism etc. being shown in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the-boat; and, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of one of the propellers employed.

In these drawings 1 represents the middle rails or beams of the supporting frame and 2 represents cross beams suitably attached to the middle beams to form a rectangular structure.

The propellers employed consist of the hollow cylindrical bodies 3 preferably of metal and provided with pointed forward ends 4. The forward end of each propeller 1s mounted on suitable bearings 5 depending from the forward cross piece 2 and the rear end of each propeller is mounted in a bearmg 6 depending from the rear cross piece 2, the arrangement of the propellers in relation to the frame being such that the longitudinal axes are located below such frame.

Arranged on each cylinder 3 are a series of wings 7 which are attached to the outer faces of the cylinders in a manner to extend spirally therefrom. The wings are so formed and attached to the cylinders that each inclines toward the forward end 4 of each cylinder at an inclination of about 10 from perpendicular. In the present form of the propellers the wings are arranged in two sets one attending from the forward portion of the body of the cylinders and the other being arranged on the rear portion of each cylinder, leaving an unobstructed surface between the two sets of wings.

The wings or vanes are preferably for purposes of lightness made of thin metal, and in order to give them the necessary strength they are reinforced by means of plates 8 attached at one edge to the surfaces of the cylinders a short distance from the forward faces of the wings and at the other edge to such forward faces of the wings. The strengthening plates are of a width somewhat less than those of the wings.

Rotary motion is imparted to the buoyant propellers formed as described in any suit able Way, as for instance by means of an internal combustion engine 9 arranged on a suitable cross piece 10 extending between and attached to the side rails of thenframe. The shaft 11 of the engine extends rearward, and is provided at its rear end with a sprocket wheel 12 over which runs a sprocket chain 13 which also runs over a corresponding sprocket wheel 14 fixed to a shaft 15 extending from the rear end of one of the propeller cylinders.

Fixed to the shaft 11 near the rear end thereof is a gear wheel 16, which meshes with a corresponding gear wheel 17 fixed on a short shaft 18 which is mounted in suitable bearings 19 on the rear cross piece 2 of the frame. Fixed to the shaft 18 is a sprocket wheel 20 over which runs a chain 21 which also runs over a sprocket wheel 22 fixed to a shaft extending from the rear end of the other propelling cylinder. The mannor of driving the propelling cylinders is such as to cause them to rotate in opposite direction under the impulse-of the engine.

Arranged on the forward portion of the frame of the craft is anoperators seat 23,

' the gear box are immaterial and may be of any desired form.

Mounted on a suitable cross piece toward the stern of the boat is a rudder 29 which extends downward between the propeller cylinders. The rudder post is provided near its upper end with arms 30 which are con-- nected bysuitable rods 31 to corresponding arms extending from the steering post 32 which is arranged on the frame slightly forward of the operators seat 23. A steering wheel shaft 33, provided at its upper end with a steering wheel 34, is connected by a universal joint 35 to the steerin post 32, the steering wheel 34 being in position to be conveniently grasped by an operator occupying the seat 23.

Extending upward from the frame of the craft on each side and at about the middle thereof, are uprights or stanchions 36. Pivotally connected to the upper ends of the stanchions is an aeroplane 37 which may be of any suitable form and construction, being referably composed of a frame 38 over the ower face of which is tautly stretched a suitable fabric. Each side of the frame 38 has depending therefrom an arm 39 from which extend braces 40 by which the frame is rendered rigid. The aeroplane 37 is capable of being moved on its pivot 41 by which it is attached to the uprights or stanchions, and the position of the aeroplane is determined and maintained by means of rods 42 each attached at one end to the forward end of the aeroplane and each suitably connected at the other end to the forward end of a bell-crank lever 43, which lever has attached thereto an operating handle 44 to which is attached a pawl 45 engaging asegmental ratchet 46 located adjacent to the operators seat.

In order that the frame, propellin means etc. may not be supported entire y upon the forward and rear bearings of the res ective propelling cylinders, I arrange for t e support of the middleportion of the frame and other parts, by imposing a part of the weight thereof upon the middle unob structed portion of the cylinders. To accomplish this there extend from the uprights or stanchions 36, at right angles thereto, at each side of the boat, arms 47 each havingattached to its lower face wheels or rollers as which bear upon the unobstructed portion of the propelling cylinders. The arrangement of the parts is such that a portion of the weight of the frame and the parts,

carried thereby is imposed through the means described upon the middle portions of the propelling cylinders, thus preventing undue friction on the bearings of the pro pellers.

The formation of the propeller cylinders with the unobstructed middle portions is for two purposes. It afiords a raceway for the wheels or rollers attached to the supporting arms, and it also tends to insure the maintenance of the craft in a level position, and prevents its leaving the surface of the water and returning thereto with a resultant shock, when driven through rough water at high speed. This is because no violent upward movement of the boat takes place when riding upward on a wave, as'after the forward wings pass over a Wave the latter. breaks on the unobstructed portions of the cylinders which have no propelling means and the tendency to propel the boat upward from the surface of the water, as would be the case were the wings continuous from end to end of the cylinders, is avoided.

The craft constructed as described is capable of being propelled by the expenditure of comparatively small power, and is capable of attaining extremely high speed because of the slight resistance offered by the propellers employed. When the propellers are rotated at a moderate rate of speed to drive the craft slowly the forward end of the aeroplane is elevated to a proper height to exert a lifting force tending to lessen the immersion of the propellers and thereby to.

decreasethe resistance to their passage over the water. When the propellers are rotated at high speed the action of the wings thereof, inclined forward as described, is-to raise the propellers and the parts supported thereby, the greater the speed of rotation of the propellers the greater being the raising powerof the wings. The result is that when the propellers are driven at a very high speed the boat practically skims the surface of the water, the immersion of the propellers being so slight as to ofi'er practically no retarding influence. Therefore when theboat is to be propelled at high speed the aeroplane may if desired be moved to assumea position in line with the propellers when its action will be neutralized, or it may be re moved from the craft.

2. A boat of the kind described comprising cylindrical propellers of a buoyancy preventing their being submerged beyond their horizontal axes, the propellers being each,

provided at their forward and rear ends with forwardly inclined propeller wings, and each having an unobstructed surface between such Wings, and an adjustable aeroplane connected to the boat at about the middle thereof.

3. A boat of the kind described comprising cylindrical propellers of a buoyancy preventing their being submerged beyond their horizontal axes, the propellers being each provided at their forward and rear ends with forwardly inclined propeller wings, and each having an unobstructed surface between such wings, a frame on which the propellers are mounted, arms extending from the sidesof the frame at about the middle of'the boat and provided with wheels or rollers bearing on the unobstructed surfaces of the propellers, and an adjustable aeroplane attached to the frame at about the middle of the boat.

4."A boat of the kind described comprising cylindrical propellers of a buoyancy preventing their being submerged beyond their horizontal axes, the propellers being each provided at their forward and rear ends with forwardly inclined propeller wings, and each having an unobstructed surface between such wings, a frame on which the propellers are mounted, arms extending from the sides of the frame and provided with wheels or rollers bearing on the unobstructed surfaces of the propellers, stanchions extending upward from the frame at about the middle of the boat, an aeroplane pivotally connected to the stanchions, rods connected to the forward end of the aeroplane, a controlling lever, means for securing the controlling lever in place, and a connection between the controlling lever and the rods.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEFFERSON M. GARDNER.

Witnesses:

C. W. FOWLER, DAVID H. MEAD. 

